Hydraulic press adapted to utilize portable hydraulic jack



May 6, 1969 3,442,111

HYDRAULIC PRESS ADAPTE D TO UTILIZE PORTABLE HYDRAULIC JACKI Filed Oct. 21, 1966 w. LLEDFORD ETAL Sheet Fig.2

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United States Patent US. Cl. 72-389 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vertically disposed hydraulic press including a base for receiving the lower end of a vertically extendable hydraulic jack thereon and a crosshead disposed above the base and for disposition above the upper end of the vertically extendable hydraulic jack. The crosshead including a novel work holding attachment adapted to support a workpiece therebeneath and the attachment includes a generally U-shaped member including elongated legs interconnected at one pair of corresponding ends by means of a bight portion. The free end of one of the legs of the work holding attachment is pivotally connected to the crosshead for oscillation about a horizontal transverse axis and an expansion spring. is connected between the free end of the other leg and a portion of the crosshead disposed thereabove with the U-shaped work holding attachment opening upwardly and the expansion spring serving to at least lightly clamp a workpiece between the undersurface of the crosshead and the work holding attachment with the workpiece being cradled in the generally U-shaped attachment.

This invention relates to a novel and useful hydraulic press and more specifically to a press adapted to be powered by a portable hydraulic jack of the type usually found in automotive garages.

The hydraulic press of the instant invention is adapted to utilize an upstanding portable hydraulic jack of the type including a vertically reciprocal piston rod which may be raised and lowered by actuating the pump of the jack and venting the extensible motor portion of the jack to the fluid reservoir of the jack with which the pump is communicated.

The hydraulic press of the instant invention includes an upright frame upon whose lower portion a portable hydraulic jack of the type above set forth is adapted to be disposed and the press includes adaptors for support from the upper portion of the vertically reciprocal piston rod portion of the jack adapted to engage various workpieces supported in position from an upper portion of the frame of the press. In this manner, an extremely useful hydraulic press may be provided at a minimum of cost since it utilizes a portable hydraulic jack which is usually already available.

The main object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic press specifically adapted for use in garages and similar establishments which have portable upright hydraulic jacks on hand that may be utilized as the power source for the hydraulic press.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is to provide a hydraulic press from which variously shaped workpieces may be stationarily supported for operation thereon by the aforementioned portable hydraulic jack.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a hydraulic press and also various attachments readily mountable on the upper end of the vertically reciprocable rod portion of the upstanding hydraulic jack to be utilized in conjunction with the hydraulic press.

3,442,] 11 Patented May 6, 1969 A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a hydraulic press in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, in of simple construction and easy to use so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the hydraulic press of the instant inventio FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the assemblage illustrated in FIGURE 1 as seen from the right side thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line s-5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 7--7 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view similar to the lower portion of FIGURE 3 but illustrating the hydraulic press supporting a different workpiece and with a different workpiece engaging adapter supported from the upper end portion of the vertically reciprocal piston rod portion of the hydraulic jack.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings and --t0 FIGURES 2 and 3 in particular, the: numeral 10 generally designates the hydraulic press of the instant invention which includes a frame construction generally referred to by the reference numeral 12.

The frame 12 includes an inverted channel shaped base member 14 to whose opposite ends a pair of upstanding and outwardly opening similar channel-shaped members 16 and 18 are secured in any convenient manner such as by welding.

Yet another similar channel-shaped member 20 is secured at adjusted elevation between the upper ends of the members 16 and 18 by means of fasteners 21 whereby the frame 12 is completely closed on four sides, two opposite sides and the top and bottom thereof.

The opposite ends of the member 14 have suitable L-shaped mounting brackets 22 secured to opposite sides thereof. The brackets 22 include apertured horizontal flange portions 24 through which suitable fasteners 26 may be passed for securing the frame 12 to a suitable supporting surface 28.

A pair of horizontal support bars 30 and 32 are secured to the inner sides of the members 16 and 18 intermediate their upper and lower ends by means of fasteners 33 and include opposite end portions which project outwardly beyond the cor-responding sides of the members 16 and 18. The outwardly projecting end portions of the support bars 30 and 32 are provided with suitable longitudinally spaced apertures 34 whose purpose is to be hereinafter more fully set forth. In addition, the bars 30 and 32 are also provided with apertures 36 centrally intermediate their opposite ends, see FIGURE 8.

In FIGURE 2 there may be seen a workpiece holding member 38 which is generally U-shaped in configuration has the free end 40 of one leg 42 thereof secured to one end of the member 20 by means of a hinge 44 whereby the workpiece holding member 38 may be swung through a vertical plane. The free end of the other leg 46 of the holding member 38 is operatively connected to the end of the member 20 remote from the hinge 44 by means of an expansion spring 48. In addition, it may be seen from FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings that the workpiece holding member 38 has a large opening 50 formed therein centrally intermediate the free ends of the legs 42 and 46 thereof.

With attention now invited more specifically to FIG- URES 2 and 7 of the drawings it may be seen that the center portion of the member 20 has a pair of generally parallel angle members 52 welded to the undersurface thereof and which together define a slot or Way 54 in which an adapter plate 56 is slidably received. The adapter plate 56 is provided with a centrally disposed aperture 58 and has a depending sleeve 59 secured to its undersurface by welding in alignment with the aperture 58.

A piston 60 having one end of a connecting rod 62 pivotally secured thereto by means of a piston pin 64 rotatably supported from the connecting rod 62 and pressed in the piston pin bores 66 in the piston 60 is supported from the frame 12 by means of the work holding member 38, the piston 60 being cradled in the work holding member 38 and the expansion spring 48 serving to lightly clamp the piston 60 between the work holding member 38 and the sleeve 59 carried by the adapter plate 56 removably supported from the member 20.

If the press is to be utilized to remove the piston pin 64, an adapter 68 including a cylindrical portion 70 passed through the sleeve 59, the aperture 58 formed in the adapter plate 56, and an aperture 72 formed in the web portion 74 of the member 20 in alignment with the aperture 58, is positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 7 of the drawings with the diametrically enlarged head 76 of the adapter 68 abutted against the upper surface of the web 74. In addition, the adapter 68 includes a diametrically reduced shank portion 78 on the end thereof remote from the head 76 and the diametrically reduced shank portion 78 is telescoped into the adjacent end of the piston pin 64 so as to ensure that the piston pin 64 is directly aligned with the apertures 58 and 72 through which the pin 64 may be longitudinally displaced. Then, a conventional hydraulic garage jack generally referred to by the reference numeral 82 is positioned with its base 84 on the center of the web portion 86 of the member 14. The jack 82 includes an extendible motor portion 88 including a vertically reciprocable piston rod prtion 90 and a pump portion 92 including an actuator 94. In addition, the jack 82 further includes a vent valve (not shown) for venting the extendible motor portion 88 to the reservoir (not shown) of the jack 82 with which the pump portion 92 is communicated.

The upper end of the piston rod portion 90 includes a threadedly adjustable and removable screw 98 provided.

with a diametrically enlarged head 100 on its upper end. A pressure plate 102 is provided and is suitably apertured as at 104. When the jack 82 has been positioned as illustrated in FIGURE 3 of the drawings, the screw 98 is removed and slipped through the aperture 104 and again threadcdly secured with the piston rod portion 98 so as to mount the plate 102 on the piston rod portion 90. The plate 102 is operatively connected to the base 84 of the jack 82 by means of expansion springs 105 and thereby yieldingly urges the piston rod portion 90 to a fully retracted position whenever the aforementioned vent valve of the jack is opened to communicate the fluid motor portion 88 with the reservoir. Then, an adapter 106 including a shank portion 108 slightly smaller in diameter than the outside diameter of the piston pin 64 is supported atop the piston rod portion 90 by means of a base portion 110 on the lower end of the shank 108 including a downward- 1y opening blind bore 112 in which the head of the screw 98 is seated. Then the actuator 94 may be operated to raise the piston rod portion 90 so that the shank 106 will enter the lowermost piston pin bore 66 of the piston 60 and engage the lower end of the piston pin 64. Then, further upward movement of the piston rod portion 90 will of course upwardly displace the piston pin 64 relative to piston 60 and through the upper piston pin bore 66 of the sleeve 59 and the apertures 58 and 72.

If it is desired not to remove a piston pin from a piston but instead to bend a section of pipe or the like as illustrated in FIGURE 8, suitable abutment rods 116 may be passed through corresponding bores 34 in the support bars 30 and 32. Then, the bar or pipe 118 to be bent may be disposed beneath the bars or rods 116 and an adapter 120 utilized in lieu of the adapter 106 and including a bifurcated upper end portion 122 having rollers 124 journaled from its furcations 126 may be moved upwardly upon actuation of the jack actuator 94 into engagement with the portion of the bar or pipe 118 spanning the distance between the bars or rods 116. Of course, further upward movement of the adapter 120 will cause the bar or rod 118 to be bent in the manner illustrated in phantom lines in FIGURE 8 of the drawings. However, if a rod 130 is to have a sharper bend formed therein, a single bar or rod 132 may be passed through the apertures or bores 36 and the bar 130 to be bent may be placed under the rod 132. Then, upward movement of the rollers 124 into engagement with the opposite end portions of the rod 130 disposed on opposite sides of the bar 36 will cause the bar 130 to be bent in the manner illustrated in solid lines in FIGURE 8 of the drawings.

Of course, many other types of adapters other than adapters 106 and 120 may be utilized on the jack 82 in order to increase the versatility of the press 10.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A hydraulic press including a conventional vertically elongated and extendible hydraulic jack provided with a base at its lower end portion, a frame including a pair of uprights interconnected at their lower ends by means of a base member secured to and extending therebetween and at their upper ends by means of an elongated head member secured to and extending therebetween, said jack being positioned with its base on said base member and adapted to have its upper end portion advanced upwardly toward a workpiece supported from said head member, a workpiece holding attachment, said attachment including an elongated upwardly opening cradle provided with a pair of upstanding legs interconnected at their lower ends by means of a bight portion extending therebetween, the upper end of one of said legs being pivotally secured to one end of said head member for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said head member and said one leg and disposed inwardly of the corresponding upright, means operatively connected between the other leg and the other end of said head member to upwardly displace said other leg toward said head member so as to adapt said cradle to clampingly support a workpiece between said cradle and said head member, said bight portion and said head member including vertically aligned openings extending therethrough.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said head member is vertically adjustable relative to the upper ends of said uprights.

3, The combination of claim 1 wherein the upper end portion of said jack is defined by the upper end of a vertically reciprocal piston rod portion of said jack, and means connected between said upper end portion below the upper terminal end thereof and said base yieldingly urging said piston rod portion downwardly toward said base.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said jack, including said base, is removably positioned on said base member.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means connected between said head member and said other leg comprises an expansion spring.

6. A press frame adapted to utilize a conventional vertically extendible elongated hydraulic jack, said frame including a pair of uprights interconnected at their lower ends by means of a base member secured to and extending therebetween and at their upper ends by means of an elongated head member secured to and extending therebetween, said base member being adapted to have the lower end of said jack positioned thereon for engagement of the upper terminal end of the jack with a workpiece supported from said head member, a workpiece holding attachment, said attachment including an elongated upwardly opening cradle provided with a pair of upstanding legs interconnected at their lower ends by means of a bight portion extending therebetween, the upper end of one of said legs being pivotally secured to one end of said head member for rotation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said head member and said one leg and disposed inwardly of the corresponding upright, means operatively connected between the other leg and the other end of said head member to upwardly displace said other leg toward said head member so as to adapt said cradle to clampingly support a workpiece between said cradle and said head member, said bight portion and said head member including vertically aligned openings extending therethrough.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said head memher is supported from said uprights for vertical adjustment relative to the upper ends of said uprights.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein said uprights comprise oppositely opening upstanding channel members and said head member includes an upwardly opening channel member extending between the upper ends of said uprights.

9, A press frame including an elongated elevated and horizontally disposed head member adapted to have a vertically extendible jack supported therebeneath for generally vertical movement of the upper end of the jack toward and away from the undersurface of the head member, a workpiece holding attachment, said attachment including an elongated upwardly opening cradle provided with a pair of upstanding legs interconnected at their lower ends by means of a bight portion extending therebetween, the upper end of one of said legs being pivotally secured to one end of said head member for oscillation about a horizontal axis extending transversely of said head member and said one leg, means operatively connected between the upper end of the other leg and the other end of said head member to upwardly displace the free end of said other leg toward said head member so as to adapt said cradle to clampingly support a workpiece between said cradle and said head member.

10. The combination of claim 9 wherein said means connected between said head member and said other leg comprises an expansion spring.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,451,302 10/1948 Peters 72-'389 2,502,072 3/ 1950 Bender --2l4 2,742,853 4/1956 Knelson 100--266 2,903,040 9/1959 Schonzeit 100208 3,359,618 12/1967 Murphy 100214 FOREIGN PATENTS 218,609 7/ 1957 Australia.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

G. P. CROSBY, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 72-453; 100--269 

